Electric liquid-level indicator



W. 8. LA LONDE.

ELECTRIC LIQUID LEVEL INDICATOR.

APPLICATION men OCT. 14.1920.

40 196 Patented Feb. 14, 1922.-

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WILLIAM S. LA LON'DE, 0F EVANSTON, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC LIQUID-LEVEL INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

Application filed October 14; 1920. Serial No. 416,874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. LA'

Liquid-Level Indicators, of which the fol-.

lowing is a specification. I

This invention relates to devices attachable to any sort of a receptacle containing liquid in varying quantities, to indicate by an alarm or the like when the liquid reaches a predetermined level. The object of this invention is to provide a device of this class which is very compact in form,-eas1ly and comparatively cheaply made, which is very positive and effective in operation and 1S I10t liable to get out of order. 'More particularly the invention consists in a special arrangement of parts by which a very light and compact structure is formed, well protected from dirt and dust; in a novel valve construction which completely insures against the escape of liquid in one portion of the indicating device into proximity with the electric switch device; further in a novel protecting device for excluding dirt and dust from the valve mechanism proper, and eliminating the extreme possibility of a stream of liquid shooting from the liquid receptacle of the device out toward an electric apparatus. More particularly the invention consists in many features and details of construction hereafter more fully set forth in the specification and claims.

Referring to the drawings in which like numerals denote like parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional detail view of mechanism illustrating this invention in its preferred form.

Figure 2 is a plan view on the line 22 of Figure 1.

In carrying out this invention, a liquid receptacle 10 is provided made up of a cylindrical side wall 12 having a flanged base 14 screw threaded thereto at 16, and a cap 18 screw threaded thereto at 20. At some distance above the receptacle 10 is a horizontal plate 22 carrying a removable cap 24 screw threaded thereto at 26 so as to form a switch chamber 28. The two receptacles 10 and 28 are spaced apart and held in rigid position with reference to each other by normally vertical rods 38 attached to the plate 22 by screws 40 and to the plate 14 by screws 42. The parts just described are preferably but not necessarily enclosed within a cylindrical protecting shell 44 flanged at its opposite ends so as to be engaged by the screws 40 and 42. This shell 44 serves the function of a very light guard which excludes moisture, dirt, etc., from the parts contained within it.

The shell 44 is provided at one side with a perforated washer 46 through which passes a cable 48 containing a plurality of electric wires, in the particular case here illustrated, three, designated at 49--5051. These wires just described pass vertically through suitably spaced perforations 52 provided for them, in the plate 22 and have their upper ends each individually connect ed by a suitable device such for instance as screw 54 to an upwardly extending electric terminal 56, three of which are shown in the drawing, placed at equal intervals around the central perforation 58 in the plate 22. Superimposed on the tops of the terminals 56 is an electric contact or disk 60 mounted for limited reciprocating movement and rocking movement on the portion 62 of the spindle 64 of insulating material passing through the perforation 58, heretofore described. Suitably secured to the lower end of this spindle 64 is a metallic rod 66 passing downward through a tubular member 68 terminating in a conical bell 70 entering the cover 18 of chamber 10. The lower end of the rod 66 carries a conical valve member 72 adapted when elevated to in the position of Figure 1, seat itself against the bell 70, heretofore referred to. The lower end of the conical member 72 terminates in or is connected to float member 74 sustained in the chamber 10 by liquid 76, flowing into it through a pipe 78 connected beyond the figure to the tank containing the liquid whose level position is to be indicated by the device.

The lower end of conical member 72 carries a washer -or disk 80 preferably of flexible material such as leatheror rubber, adapted, when the float is moved upward so that member 72 seats itself in member 70, to engage the edge 82 of the cone 70, and thus make a double sealing of the chamber 10, thus practically absolutely preventing the escape of any liquid even though there izs so rzne obstruction of the valve mechanism Adjustably positioned on the spindle 64 between an adjusting block 82 and a lock nut 84, both carried by screw threads 86, is a downwardly turned hood or umbrella 88 lying in all positions of the device over the upper end of tubular member 68 so that if for any reason some of the liquid 76 is driven in the form of a stream past the valve 80 between the valve members 70 and 72, up the passage inside of tube 68, the liquid will be stopped by this hood 88 and prevented from reaching the electric switch mechanism located in receptacle 28.

In the operation of the device the mechanism is so located with reference to receptacle whose liquid level is to be indicated that when the liquid in that receptacle reaches the point where an alarm should be given the portion of liquid 76 in receptacle 10 is at or below the position shown in Figure 1 in which position disk 60 engages all of the contacts 56 with the result that an electric circuit is established through the wires 4950-51 to an indicating device outside the figures here shown. The operation of the last mentioned device calls the operators attention tothe fact that a change in the receptacle whose condition is indicated is required. When liquid is supplied to the last mentioned receptacle liquid 7 6 in chamber 10 begins to rise and the float therefore rises until valve 72 seats itself in member 70 and valve disk 80 seats itself on edge 82, whereupon there is no possible chance of any I liquid accidentally passing out of chamher 10.

On this movement the float 7 4 raises disk 60 clear of terminals 56 thus breaking the circuit of the wires 49-50-51, all as is more clearly set forth in my companion application, Serial No. 416,27 9 in which application the details of the electric switch mechanism contained within the chamber 28 are more fully described and claimed.

The passage of liquid into the chamber 28 may be further prevented by installing below plate 22 a bag 90 of chamois skin or the like, en aging spindle 64 at 92, the same being su eiently flexible to permit free reciprotation of the spindle.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In mechanism of the class described, a liquid tank havinga cover provided with a perforation, a tube extending through said perforation, a float in the tank having a spindle extending through said perforation, and an umbrella like hood on said spindle beyond the end of the 'tube overlapping the ends of the tube, for the purposes set forth.

2. In mechanism of the class described, a liquid tank having a cover provided with a perforation, a tube extending through said perforation, a float in the tank having a spindle extending through said perforation, and an umbrella like hood on said spindle beyond the end of the tube overlapping the ends of the tube, and means for adjusting said hood along the spindle.

3. In mechanism of the class described, a

tube having one end conical, a spindle reciprocatable through the tube, and a double seal valve for the conical end of the tube comprising a conical member on the spindle engaging the inner wall of the conical end of the tube, and a disk below the conical member engaging the outer end of the conical member, a hood or umbrella carried on the spindle, and overlapping the end of the tube which is opposite to the conical end, for the purposes set forth.

4. In mechanism of the class described, a tube having one end conical, a spindle reciprocatable through the tube, and a double seal valve for the conical end of the tube comprising, a conical member on the spindle engaging the inner walls of the conical end of the tube, a diskof flexible material below the conical member engaging the outer end of the conical member, a hood or umbrella carried on the spindle, and overlapping the end of the tube which is opposite to the conical end, for the purposes set forth.

5. In mechanism .of the class described, an electric switch mechanism, an operating spindle therefor extending below it, a liquid operated mechanism manipulating said spindle, and a protecting bag about the spindle excluding access of liquid to the switch mechanism.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM s. LA LONDE':

Witnesses DWIGHT B. Cnnnvnn, ANNA ROSENTHAL. 

